Floribunda rose plant named `Meinips`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant is provided which abundantly forms attractive pastel pink blossoms that exhibit a light fragrance. The plant exhibits a bushy growth habit. Attractive very dense medium green and glossy vegetation is formed. The new variety is particularly well suited for growing as ornamentation in the landscape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Floribunda rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the`Deltep` variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent(i.e., the pollen parent) of the new variety was the product of thecross of the `Meilena` variety (non-patented in the United States) andthe `Rumba` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,919). The `Meilena` varietysometimes is known as the `Poppy Flash` variety. The parentage of thenew variety can be summarized as follows:

    `Deltep`×(`Meilena`×`Rumba`).

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and 22 smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Floribunda rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) forms in abundance attractive pastel pink blossoms,

(b) exhibits a bushy growth habit,

(c) exhibits a light fragrance,

(d) forms attractive very dense medium green and glossy vegetation, and

(e) is particularly well suited for growing as ornamentation in thelandscape.

The new variety has undergone asexual propagation by a number of routesin France, including budding, grafting, and cuttage. The characteristicsof the new variety have been found to be strictly transmissible by suchasexual propagation from one generation to another in France.

The new variety has been named the `Meinips` variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were two years of age and were observed during Maywhile growing on their own roots outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var,France.

FIG. 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 4 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flower in the course of opening;

FIG. 6 illustrates a specimen of an open flower -- plan view -- obverse;

FIG. 7 illustrates a specimen of an open flower -- plan view -- reverse;

FIG. 8 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view --obverse;

FIG. 9 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view --reverse;

FIG. 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13 illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets -- uppersurface;

FIG. 15 illustrates specimens of two leaves with five leaflets -- uppersurface (right) and under surface (left); and

FIG. 16 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets -- undersurface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The terminology whichprecedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate thecorresponding color in more common terms. The description is based ontwo year old specimens of the new variety during May while growing ontheir own roots at LeCannet des Maures, Var, France.

Class: Floribunda.

Plant:

Height.--Plants commonly achieve a height of approximately 100 to 110cm. at the end of the growing season.

Habit.--Bushy.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: reddish brown. Adult wood: Yellow-Green Group 146C.

Thorns.--Size: medium. Quantity: generally absent on young stems andinfrequent on mature wood (as illustrated). Color: greenish-tan onmature wood (as illustrated).

Leaves:

Stipules.--Adnate, pectinate, wide and relatively large.

Petioles.--Upper surface: striped reddish on young foliage and lightgreen, Yellow-Green Group 147C, on adult foliage and widely suffusedwith Greyed-Red Group 178A. Under surface: medium green, Yellow-GreenGroup 146D and suffused with reddish coloration.

Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5, and 7. Shape: elliptic. Serration: single andregular. Texture: consistent. General appearance: very dense, glossy,and medium green. Color (young foliage): Upper surface: Yellow-GreenGroup 148A suffused with reddish coloration. Under surface: Yellow-GreenGroup 148A suffused with reddish coloration. Color (adult foliage):Upper surface: Yellow-Green Group 146A. Under surface: light green,Yellow-Green Group 146B.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Commonly approxiately 6 to 15 flowers per stem.

Peduncle.--Medium green suffused with reddish coloration, commonly withsome prickles, more or less glandular, and approximately 5 cm. in lengthon average.

Sepals.--Upper surface: tomentose, and greenish in coloration. Undersurface: greenish suffused with reddish coloration, and withapendiculate edges.

Buds.--Shape: conical and of a somewhat distinctive configuration (asillustrated). Length: approximately 2 to 3 cm. on average. Size: medium.Color upon opening: Upper surface: Vermilion, Red Group 41B at themargins; Mandarin Red, Red Group 41D at the middle; and ButtercupYellow, Yellow Group 15A at the base. Under surface: Vermilion, RedGroup 41B at the margins; Mandarin Red, Red Group 41D at the middle; andButtercup Yellow, Yellow Group 15A at the base.

Flower.--Shape: cup-shaped with a high center. Diameter: approximately 7cm. on average. Color (when opening begins): Upper surface: Azalea Pink,Red Group 41C at the margins; light orange, Orange Group 28D at themiddle; and Buttercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B at the base. Undersurface: Azalea Pink, Red Group 41C at the margins; orange, Orange Group29B at the middle; and Buttercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B at thebase. Color (when blooming): Upper surface: Azalea Pink, Red Group 41Cat the margins; light orange, Orange Group 28D at the middle; andButtercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B at the base. Under surface:Azalea Pink, Red Group 41C at the margins; orange, Orange Group 29B atthe middle; and Buttercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B at the base.Color (at end of opening): Upper surface: Geranium Red, Red Group 47D atthe margins; light Carmine Pink, Red Group 52D at the middle; andButtercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15A at the base. Under surface:Claret Rose, Red Group 50B at the margins; light Claret Rose, Red Group50C at the middle; and Buttercup Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B at thebase. Fragrance: light. Petal drop: good. Petal form: rounded. Petalnumber: approximately 18 on average and commonly with approximately 6petaloids on average. Stamen number: approximately 70 to 80 on average.Anthers: ochre in coloration. Filaments: ochre in coloration. Pistils:approximately 60 on average. Stigmas: ochre in coloration. Styles:yellowish in coloration. Receptacle: light green and widely suffusedwith reddish brown in coloration, and in longitudinal section in theshape of a pear.

Development:

Vegetation.--Strong.

Blooming.--Abundant.

Aptitude to bear fruit.--Good.

Resistance to diseases.--Very good with resistance to Marssoninadisease.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsin abundance attractive pastel pink blossoms, (b) exhibits a bushygrowth habit, (c) exhibits a light fragrance, (d) forms attractive verydense medium green and glossy vegetation, and (e) is particularly wellsuited for growing as ornamentation in the landscape;substantially asherein shown and described.